Immigration Office Blues

September 20, 2010

Today, while I lounged lifelessly in the waiting area of Florence’s immigration office, my latest blog post was born.  

I spent my morning in immigration because American students living abroad in Italy are required to obtain a “permesso di soggiorno” or pass to stay in the country for a prolonged period of time.  The idea behind the soggiorno is pretty logical; the process of acquiring a soggiorno is quite the opposite.  In fact, sitting in the waiting room for over FOUR HOURS I realized that this system is one of Italy’s many little flaws.

Thus, I now give you...

Jenna’s little list of improvements for Italia

1. Appointment times should be relevant

This one’s for you, Immigration Office.  

When I receive an assigned date and time for an appointment, I expect that I will be seen at said date and time. Unfortunately for me, this is not how Italy works. 

Though my appointment time was at 8 this morning and I did, in fact, wake up before 6 to make it to the office by 7, I only did so in order to wait in line and receive a numbered ticket at the door...with everyone else.

After hours of watching the five employees plow slowly through an absurd number of Asian immigrants, I was summoned to the window to...receive another number. Yep, that’s right---the first number was completely irrelevant!

A few more hours and a few hundred more Asian immigrants later, my new, real number was called.  At the window, the friendly, Italian man took my picture, my prints, and offered me a new, return-appointment time.  

If you followed my description at all, you should be very confused at this point.  (I, myself, am still confused.)  As it turns out, this entire appointment was pointless. I will not receive my soggiorno until I return to the immigration office next month and wait for another insane period of time.  C’mmmmon Italy.

2. Pillows should be thicker than a pancake 

A stack of this many pancake pillows might suffice...

Call me a princess, but I like my pillows fluffy. 

That said, I was a bit disappointed that my very hospitable family made my bed with one, super-thin, pancake pillow.  The thing is, my host-family is not alone when it comes to these “pillows.”  All of the other Ho Cro kids--as well as virtually all of Florence--are sleeping on them.  This is a fad that’s got to go.

3. There should be at least one STAPLES in Italy

Why are children buying their school supplies in the grocery store?  I am twenty years old and the child in me WILL NOT buy school supplies in the grocery store.  It’s just plain upsetting.

Once I introduce Italians to the wonder that is STAPLES--and notebooks with lines, not graph paper--I will surely be a kabillionaire.  Sadly, I do not have time to be that kind of an entrepreneur right now.  Even sadder, I am a little girl and desperately miss my 1000 pack of fine-tipped Sharpies.  

Mi mancano, Sharpies, mi mancano

Dear Friends,

     I know that you have all become quite accustomed to receiving hand-drawn-Jenna-birthday-cards, but unless you are willing to spend $23309324 for shipping my beloved markers to me, it looks like generic, store-bought cards are all you’re going to get this year.  

     With deepest sympathy,

Jenna 

4. People with dogs should scoop poop  

I personally hate picking it up---even with pebble-sized poops like Pearl’s.  However, when there is no one else to persuade to do it (Mom) I become a big girl and do it myself.  

Hey, Barbie can do it!

It’s just plain disgusting when you don’t.  It’s not that hard--take a second, grab a plastic baggie, and save my bike tires from utter nastiness. Thanks.

5. Clothes should be cleaned with fabric softener

I have accepted the fact that my pants are going to stretch out because they are being dried au-natural. I can deal with the airy and very stereotypical Italian clothes-line.

I will not, however, accept the fact that I now dread my once softest (and favorite!) pair of jeans. They scratch like a sheet of sandpaper.

A good pair of jeans should NEVER bend like this

Fabric softener is a beautiful thing.  It’s not going to do the clothes any harm... it’s going to sof-ten the fab-ric.  

The funniest thing about the Italian-fabric-softener-boycott is that fabric softener is sold in Italy.  It’s very possible to buy it. Sylvia, my host-mom, claims that she doesn’t use it because she likes the clothes to “feel clean.”  According to her, soft clothes do not feel clean; clothing is only clean when it is rigid and stark.

Italy, you’re a fabulous country, don’t get me wrong.  After just a month here, I know that there are many things that you do SO right: blueberry chocolate-chip gelato, hand-crafted leather sandals, the perfect combination of rolling hills and red-thatched roofs...the list is truly infinite.  Please consider these few minor adjustments as a token of my deep adoration for you. xoxo Jenna